Ten More Unknowns

The place to ask your Cracker Jack Prize questions. (Open to All)
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spudgy
Posts: 98
Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2010 3:21 pm
Location: Birmingham, Alabama

Ten More Unknowns

Post by spudgy »

One more page of unknowns to challenge you.

Many thanks for your help.
Is it CJ 002.jpg
Is it CJ 002.jpg (378.65 KiB) Viewed 8749 times
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Luke
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Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:16 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO
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Re: Ten More Unknowns

Post by Luke »

I'm unfamiliar with those, but then my knowledge of Cracker Jack prizes is very narrow.
Jeffrey Maxwell
Posts: 162
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:48 pm
Location: Wellington KS

Re: Ten More Unknowns

Post by Jeffrey Maxwell »

I cannot address the metal prizes, but I don't see any plastic prizes that appear to be Cracker Jack. The musical instruments look like hard rubber prizes I have had in the past. Those came in bags with header cards in the five and dime stores. The train and truck were probably sold in the same manner -- could be cereal prizes. I would guess that the guy with the heart-shaped banjo is a cake decoration. I have seen the pink clown as a part of a mail-order series similar to "dolls of nations". The pipe cleaner dog pin looks like a gum machine prize, also sold as a carded item. The one item that really interests me, and I would like to inspect in person, is the yellow turtle. It looks like it could simply be a bead -- it would sure look great for a shoestring decoration for a child's sneakers or as a pull for the string on a child's hoodie. The red rubber retro 70s shroom (alliteration intentional) could be anything, most likely a decoration once applied to a larger product or even a refrigerator magnet.
spudgy
Posts: 98
Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2010 3:21 pm
Location: Birmingham, Alabama

Re: Ten More Unknowns

Post by spudgy »

Thanks, Jeffrey. I'm glad to finally know for sure that the little plastic truck is not CJ because I often see them and similar same-sized vehicles and dealers almost always wrongly call them CJ but then dealers seem to call every small toy CJ.
Jeffrey Maxwell
Posts: 162
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2011 11:48 pm
Location: Wellington KS

Re: Ten More Unknowns

Post by Jeffrey Maxwell »

I have seen a few hoards of these trucks and similar cars over the years. So just because you see a lot of them around doesn't mean they are not old. It just means they are not rare. There are some reproductions of these, but the plastic is so much thinner that it is easy to tell the difference.

Know your dealers. All "dealers" are in the business of making money by selling things to collectors -- that means they have to sell a lot of different kinds of things to stay in business. Some are very knowledgeable in certain areas, but most are generalists who sell a wide variety of things based on what they "find." You are already more knowledgeable about Cracker Jack prizes than 99 percent of all collectibles dealers, so dont rely on dealers to tell you what they have. They don't have the time to differentiate between different types of small toys. Smart dealers listen to their customers, because no one knows more about a collection than the collector who put it together. In time you will find certain dealers who consistently come up with things you really like at prices you feel comfortable paying -- so stick with those you know. And don't hesitate to educate them about what you collect.
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